Adjustable wrench.



H. P. LUTZ;

ADJUSTABLE WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 12- I912.

LMfififl. Patented June 15, 1915.

lIlII/ll/I/l WITNESSES INVENTOR THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTG-LITHO.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

w w I W HERMAN P. LUTZ, OF JOHN STOWN, NEBRASKA.

ADJUSTABLE WRENCH.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HERMAN citizen of the United States, residing at Johnstown, in the county of Brown and State of Nebraska, have invented new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Wrenches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in wrenches.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a wrench having a fixed and a pivotally movable jaw with means slidably mounted for locking the movable jaw in ad justed positions with respect to the fixed aw.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying P. LU'rz, a

drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention with parts shown in section, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the stationary jaw and body portion of the device. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the slidable sleeve, before mentioned, a part of which is shown broken away, and Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken upon line H of Fig. 1.

In the accompanying drawing, the numeral 1O designates the body portion or handle of my improved wrench, which has a comparative large cut-out portion 11, presenting slanting forward and rearward faces 12 and 13, as shown. Projecting from the forward end of the body portion, and adjacent the cut-out portion 11, is a jaw 14 having teeth 15 provided upon its wrench face. This jaw will be hereinafter termed the fixed jaw, as it is formed integral with the handle portion. Pivoted within the cutout portion 11, as shown at 16, is an elongated member 17, one face of which is cut away. On this member 17, and preferably at its forward end, a jaw 18 is formed having teeth 19 on its wrench face, the jaws 14 and 18 being in alinement with each other, as is shown.

From the foregoing construction, it will be readily apparent that the jaw 18 is movable in relation to the jaw 14 so that the device may be applied to nuts and other devices of different diameters.

I have provided means in the form of a leaf spring 20, bent intermediate its ends,

Specification of Letters Patent.

lug 29 for engagement Patented June 15, 1915.

Application filed December 12, 1912. Serial No; 736,362.

one end being secured to the body portion 10, as shown at 21, the other end 22 engaging in a notch 23 in the member 17, for the purpose of normally holding the jaw 18 out of engagement with the fixed jaw 14. I have provided means such as a slidable sleeve for the purpose of closing the jaws. The sleeve referred to is designated in the drawings by the numeral 24, it being constructed of metal and extending entirely around the handle portion. In view of the fact that the member 17 is cut away, it will be seen that its releasing movement when the sleeve is near the center of the cut-out portion is permitted but if the sleeve is moved to the position shown in Fig. 1, the jaw 18 will be securely held in engagement with the jaw 14. I have also provided means for locking the sleeve 24 in adjusted positions. lVith this in view, I have provided the body portion adjacent the cut-out portion 11 with an elongated longitudinally extending slot 25. On one wall of said slot I provide teeth 26 projecting thereinto as is clearly shown. A rearwardly extending arm 27 is provided upon the sleeve 24, this arm 27 having projecting therefrom at right angles, an ofiset portion 28, the latter carrying a depending with the teeth 26.

When the sleeve is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the offset portion 28 projects into the slot 25, the depending lug portion carried thereby engaging teeth 26. With this construction in view it will be readily ap parent that the sleeve is held against backward movement upon the body portion consequently holding the jaws locked in position. It will also be recognized that the jaws can be adjusted to be applicable to nuts and other devices of different diameters. The sleeve 24 will be sufliciently loose on the device so that the lug 29 can be sprung out of engagement with the teeth 26 sufliciently to permit of retraction of the sleeve 24 to permit the spring 20 to spread the aw 18 away from the jaw 14. When it is desired to apply the wrench to a nut or the like, the sleeve 24 will be advanced and the lug 29 will automatically engage the teeth 26 and hold the sleeve 24 in adjusted position so as to apply the jaws to the part to be turned.

From the foregoing it is thought that the advantages and novel features of myinvention will be readily comprehended.

Such changes as are permissible by the subjoin'ed claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 2- 1 v 1. A wrench comprising a handle portion having a slotted shank extending therefrom and a jaw at the end of said shank, one wall of the slotted portion'ha'vih'g teeth and said shankbeing laterally reduced between said handle portion and said jaw,.a movable jaw having'ashank fitting the laterally reduced shank of said handle portion and pivoted to the-handle shank adjacent the handle, and a sleeve embracing the handle and jaw shanks and ,slidable toward the jaws to close the fsame,said jaw shank having an inclined por- (Topics 0"! 1115 patent may be obtained for tion for engagement by said sleeve to shift the movable jaw toward the fixed jaw, and said sleeve having a pawl for engagement with ratchet teetlrtohold said sleeve in an adjusted position, substantially as described.

2. A wrench comprising a handle portion having a shank extending therefrom and provided with a jaw, a second shank-pivoted to said first shank, said second shank being provided with inclined surfaces on its front edge, and means for engagement with said inclined surfaces for adjusting the second shank with respect to said first shank.

HER-MAN P. LUTZ.

Witnesses FRED LUTZ, A. SOATTERGOOD.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatenta, Washington, D. G. 

